The present invention relates generally to a network delivery data transmitting method, a network delivery data receiving method, a network delivery data transmitting system, and a network delivery data receiving system and, more particularly to an Internet broadcast data transmitting method, an Internet broadcast data receiving method, an Internet broadcast data transmitting system, and an Internet broadcast data receiving system.
A method and a configuration for delivery data over a network are known in which content associated with broadcast programs is delivered to a plurality of viewing sides. In this case, the content transmitting side is connected to the content receiving sides over a network. The network applicable to this configuration includes a leased line and, especially, the Internet, which is expected to gain popularity with accelerating speed.
For example, a “one-to-many” multi-cast broadcasting form is generally practiced in the Internet broadcasting in which each Web site is constituted by a gateway, an Internet backbone, a carrier, a public switched line, and so on. The “one-to-many” multi-cast broadcasting transmits programs from a transmitting side which functions as a broadcasting station to a plurality receiving sides, or the viewers. Due to the limitations in transmission capacity, the related-art technologies put one program on one Internet broadcast stream.
Therefore, as with live coverage of sports, if there are plural pieces of content taken by plural television cameras, one of these plural pieces of content is selected by the transmitting side from time to time in a switched manner as a program goes on and always only one selected piece of content is carried on one on-air stream as a program content.
If the imaging at different angles is required in the above-mentioned television camera imaging, it is a general practice that the transmitting side select television camera angles.
As for the advertisement media based on the network delivery services as described above, there are two types of advertisement transmitting methods.
The first advertisement transmitting method supports a banner advertisements which are mainly based on still pictures displayed on the screen separately from voice and moving-picture program content. Referring to FIG. 38 showing a related-art banner advertisement transmitting method, the supply side of Internet broadcasting switches between video data stA through stG taken by plural television cameras CmA through CmG by a switcher 290 to provide program content on which one piece of video data is always carried, switches between images bst1 through bst7 generated by plural banner advertisement image generators Bn1 through Bn7 by the switcher 290 to provide always one piece of banner advertisement content, and organizes one video stream 291 which carries together the above-mentioned one piece of program content as packet sequences 292 of one piece of program content and the above-mentioned one piece of banner advertisement content as packet sequences 293 of one piece of banner content, transmitting the resultant on-air stream to each viewing side Vw. The screen of each viewing side Vw opens both a program content display area and a banner advertisement display area at the same time, displaying the program content and the banner advertisement content respectively.
The second advertisement transmitting method support mainly voice and moving-picture commercials, which are displayed at the same screen position with voice and moving-picture video.
Referring to FIG. 39 showing a related-art commercial transmitting method, the supply side of Internet broadcasting switches between video data stA through stG taken by plural television cameras CmA through CmG by a switcher 300 to provide program content which carries always one piece of video data and switches between commercial videos cst1 through cst7 generated by plural commercial image generator Cn1 through Cn7 by the switcher 300 to provide always on piece of commercial content, and organizes one on-air stream 301 inserted with the above-mentioned one program content as one packet sequence 301a and the above-mentioned one commercial content as one packet sequence 301b, transmitting the resultant on-air stream to each viewing side Vw. Receiving the on-air stream 301, each viewing side Vw displays the program content video and the commercial content video at the same display position on the screen alternately in a switched manner.
Internet broadcasting secures sale by providing at least part of the above-mentioned on-air content on a pay basis as well as advertisement revenues. Thus the Internet broadcasting is economically feasible as business.
However, in the related-art network delivery services, Internet broadcasts for example, the transmitting side transmits an on-air stream which carries only one piece of program content, so that, if the receiving side wants to switch to another piece of program, it cannot be achieved, namely, there is no freedom of section on the receiving side. For example, in the above-mentioned related-art configuration, only one piece of video content selected by the transmitting side can be transmitted as program content in one session of live coverage, so that any request from the receiving side, videos at different angles for example, cannot be achieved.
In addition, because the related-art technologies require operations for changing camera angles and switching between plural cameras, the production of programs requires considerable materials and labor, thereby making it difficult to cut production cost.
Further, in the related-art technologies, each program is run with only one piece of program content as described above, so that only one line of advertisement is provided, thereby restricting advertisement quotas. This makes it difficult for many sponsors to participate in advertisement. This also presents problems for the supply side in curbing the increase in advertisement revenues. Another problem is that, since there is the restriction on the advertisement quota itself, the preparation of various types of advertisements does not lead to wider advertisement effects.